Functional treatment of patellar dislocation in an athletic population

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Sports Medicine
• Physical Therapy

Background:

• Patellar dislocations are common injuries in athletic individuals.
• Traditional management often involves immobilization, which may not be optimal for functional recovery.
• A functional rehabilitation program without immobilization offers an alternative approach.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the outcomes of a functional rehabilitation program for patellar dislocations.
• To assess the rate of recurrent patellar instability and patient satisfaction.
• To identify factors associated with treatment outcomes.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 58 athletically active participants with 69 affected knees underwent functional rehabilitation without prior immobilization.
• Follow-up evaluations were conducted at a minimum of 24 months post-treatment, averaging 46.2 months.
• Outcomes assessed included recurrent instability, functional results (good/excellent), and patient satisfaction.

Main Results:

• Good or excellent outcomes were achieved in 66% of knees after an initial dislocation and 50% with chronic instability.
• Twenty-six percent of knees experienced recurrent patellar instability at follow-up.
• Overall patient satisfaction was 73% with the nonsurgical management.

Conclusions:

• Functional rehabilitation without immobilization can yield satisfactory outcomes for patellar dislocations, particularly for initial events.
• Recurrent instability remains a concern, highlighting the need for individualized treatment approaches.
• Anatomical predisposition and early-onset bilateral instability are linked to less favorable results.